Marjorie

@Katie We don't have Blue Jays where I am (Washington state), but Steller's Jays imitate Red-tailed Hawks all the time! I even caught one in my yard imitating a Bald Eagle (we have these in this area too). I was so excited when I heard the "eagle," and had to laugh out loud when I saw it was a jay. They are very smart birds, and good at imitating.

Beautiful night heron!

Sat on my back deck and watched birds while working this morning. Really enjoyed watching a pair of nesting robins forage and bring their three little chicks food, as well as remove white fecal sacs from the nest! Other treats were a calliope and a rufous humming bird, each of which flew right up to me and hovered in front of my face checking me out. I saw two birds that I didn't know, a yellowish, grayish songbird, and some sort of sparrow with a lovey rust-brown cap. Using a field guide and Explore birds, I decided the sparrow was a chipping sparrow (black eye stripe, white brow, striped tan and brown back, and light, un-striped breast - although I saw a very faint rust-brown spot in the middle of its breast, something I couldn't find in my book or online), which was exciting because friends have identified them by ear for me before, but today I finally got a really good look at one. Has anyone else seen a chipping sparrow with a breast spot? The songbird was harder - very distinct white eyering, gray head, yellow breast, dark yellow/olive wings, yellow on the rump and under the tail, but a bit more white under the legs. It was moving around pretty fast, but I watched it for five minutes or so and took down all those details. My best guess is a Nashville warbler.

I think Kingfishers are in their own group - different species can be found all over the world!

I love California Quail! We have them where I live in Washington and the make the funniest "chi-CA-go" call. Also the chicks are adorable little puff balls.